Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In answers to questions on notice that I received this week, I learnt that, since the start of 2024, more than 33,000 VET qualifications have been cancelled by the regulator. These cancellations happened because institutions were deregistered after not reaching the minimum standards. I'm not arguing that the government should sit idly by while Australians are getting dudded by shifty providers, but the system as it currently stands makes victims of graduates rather than helping them.

Firstly, for the people who have these qualifications cancelled, it can be devastating. If they're working when their qualification is cancelled, it may cost them their job and their livelihood. Once their qualification is cancelled, the government essentially says: 'Whoops! You paid thousands of dollars for a qualification that's now worthless. Better luck next time!' These decisions can be appealed, but appeals are often unsuccessful. In WA alone, 3,400 qualifications have been cancelled of which more than a thousand were related to child care. Several hundred more were cancelled in areas like disability support and aged care. These are sectors that are screaming out for new workers. A study by Social Ventures Australia last year found that 5,000 children in WA were living in childcare deserts. I'm not saying people who do not have skills should be allowed to take care of our children, but, for those who do have the skills, the government should be doing everything they can to let them prove their skills. Whether it's by redirecting them to skills assessments or accrediting training providers, the government needs to take an active role in making sure that people who want to work and have the skills can play their part in addressing workforce shortages in these key sectors.